Paint Techniques and Wood Stains

Historical Paints Until the mid 19th century, paint colour was made from vegetable dyes, clays, and by-products of the mining industry such as copper carbonate, cobalt and iron. Most paints were prepared on site but the colour was unstable. They would often fade or blotch. The invention of chemical dyes in the 20th century made colour more stable and more and more varied paints and paint colours were able to be produced.

Historic Paints Oxblood, Burgundy and other dark red paints were popular from the Middle Ages (1100-1500) to the 1700s.Vegetable and mineral based pigments creating dark green paints were often used up until the mid 1700s. Terracotta coloured paints, mixed with clays have been produced for thousands of years.

Limewash Limewash is a very ancient paint made from limestone which has been crushed, burnt and mixed with water to make lime putty. The lime putty is matured for several months before being thinned with water to make limewash. Limewash is naturally white and forms a complex crystalline matrix which has a matt, slightly chalky appearance. It is coloured with pigments and can be used internally or externally where it works best on porous surfaces such as a traditional lime plaster, lime render, stone and brick. Unlike modern barrier paints, limewash works by sinking into the surface. It hardens by absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere to form crystals of calcium carbonate which give the limewash its deep matt appearance and protective qualities. When used on porous surfaces, the colour will deepen if there is any dampness in the background material, hence its attractive shading.

Limewash Breathability. The way older dwellings are built affects the best way to repair and decorate them. Old buildings were traditionally of solid wall construction, rendered with breathable lime mortars and limewashed. These materials reduce the effects of condensation and allow the moisture in the walls to evaporate to the outside. Misguidedly trying to seal the weather out of traditional structures can lead to dampness, rot and condensation problems, causing decay in structural timbers and damage to the stone walls.

Limewash First used in approximately 8000 BC, limewash is made by mixing lime with water and linseed oil. The colour is produced by adding clays, metallic pigments. Limewash was also applied to woodwork, but if it was not mixed correctly, it would rub off on the people’s clothing.